Chaffetz: Holder may be in contempt

Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) said Friday that Attorney General Eric Holder is “leading us down a path where we have no other choice” but to begin efforts to hold him in contempt of Congress because of how long the Justice Department has taken to comply with a Fast and Furious subpoena.

Chaffetz said the House Oversight Committee has sought 80,000 documents, “of which they have only given us about 7,000. We have issued a subpoena. We have bent over backwards to be patient and take time,” Chaffetz, a member of Chairman Darrell Issa’s (R-Calif.) Oversight Committee, said on Fox News.

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“Are you ready to hold Eric Holder in contempt?” asked his interviewer.

“He is leading us down a path where we have no other choice. That’s what I’m worried about. There are other options on the table,” Chaffetz said.

“We can end this tonight if the Department of Justice will turn over these documents and hold the senior-most individuals at the Department of Justice accountable for their actions,” he added.

On Friday, it was reported by the L.A. Times that Republican House leaders had drafted a proposed contempt of Congress citation against Holder, alleging he and the Justice Department have “obstructed and slowed” the Congressional investigation into the Fast and Furious gun-walking operation.

The Justice Department told POLITICO on Friday that it strongly disputed the notion that it wasn’t complying with the Congressional subpoena, pointing out that it has regularly sent documents to Congressional investigators and had provided officials for hearings, briefings and interviews. A Justice Department spokesperson further noted that Attorney General Holder has testified on the issue of Fast and Furious at least seven times in the past year.

Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), also a member of the Oversight Committee, threatened Thursday that if Holder didn’t fully respond to the subpoena by Memorial Day on May 28th, the contempt of Congress proceedings would begin and the Justice Department could see a cut in funding.